Sweet Water
by Cornelia May
Summary: Sarah comes down with a mild case of the Flu while they are in Sweet Water, Utah. Part five of nine.


Part Five:

The trio was camped by a small, stagnant stream. They had been there a little over a week rounding up stray cattle for a rancher in New Mexico. It was early October and the air held a slight chill when the wind blew. Sarah (Ella Smith) had made it clear to her husband and the Kid that her place was with them and she stayed in camp all day making sure that the meals were cooked and the coffee was hot and not burnt.

"Dad-gum, it's startin' to get cold." Hannibal Heyes protested.

"I don't hear the stock complanin'," Kid Curry said casually.

"Your supper's getting' cold," Sarah called. "Kid didn't you say that tomorrow's our last day here in this poor excuse for bottom land?"

"Yep and I'll be happy,"

Heyes gave Kid 'the look'. He only gave that look when he was getting irritated or proddy, and for the last week and a half, it was getting to be, at least, every other day.

"I've got a feeling that it's going to get really cold tonight; we might want to build the fire up a little."

"That don't sound like a bad idea, I was thinkin' that myself."

Night fell and they went to sleep. Sarah slept close to close to her husband, even though a few months ago they would have resented the very idea. Their union was firstly to keep Sarah's father from forcing her to marry what's-his-name from New York and secondly to help Heyes and Curry get their amnesty a little faster. Despite all this they had a very strong bond.

As usual Sarah was the first to rise at first light. However, this morning, even after a full night's rest, she felt tired. Heyes and the Kid woke at the usual time to find Sarah dozing by the fire with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Sarah, you feelin' alright?"

"Just a little tired, didn't sleep as well as I thought I did; nothing a little coffee can't cure…"

After many years of playing poker Heyes learned how to read people. Sure Sarah's words had a pang of sincerity, but he knew deep down that she was bluffing.

oooOOOooo

Sarah sat by the fire throwing a stick on every now and then. It was late and she couldn't sleep, even though they were camped on a level, grassy plane. She had wrapped a shawl around her shoulders in attempt to stave off the spell of chills that came upon her earlier in the evening. She woke late the next morning, refusing biscuits and coffee; she saw to her horse. She felt miserable and she didn't want to worry Heyes or the Kid. Heyes took one look at Sarah and knew she wouldn't be fit to ride by afternoon; her confidence might say that she's feeling fine, but her abnormally pale skin suggested otherwise. Heyes also took note of how Sarah held her horse's reins, her hands rested on the saddle horn.

When they departed from the night's camp site Heyes and the Kid rode a little ways in front of Sarah. Every now and then they would hear her cough weakly. Finally Heyes' concern grew too great to suppress, he rode back to check on Sarah.

"Sarah?"

No answer came. Heyes looked at the girl next to him, her skin had no color to it, dark circles were starting to form under her eyes, and every minute or so her body shook violently as a chill ran trough her. Heyes noticed that Sarah was slumped in the saddle and her eyes were only half open.

"Sarah?"

Sarah turned her head and nodded at Heyes, the gesture wasn't very reassuring.

oooOOOooo

They rode into Sweet Water around noon, Heyes still riding by Sarah. The trio rode up to the livery stable and dismounted, Sarah half fell from the saddle when she dismounted.

"Mister, git that girl over to the Doc's, looks to me like she's on Death's door step." The stable master said.

"I'd rather see my wife lying in a be over at the hotel first,"

After getting a room at the Riverton Hotel Heyes sent Kid to find the town's doctor. He retuned several minutes later with the town's doctor, who also happened to be the barber, post man and the undertaker; the last part sort of made Heyes involuntarily shutter when Kid told him.

"I can tell just by looking at her that it ain't Swamp Fever, influenza is what's got her and sadly once someone comes down with it there's not much that can be done except pray that they pull through," Barton said, grimly. "So sorry it had to happen to you Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones had said something about you had just gotten married."

"Yeah, took nearly two years to pluck up the courage to ask Ella, was married to another girl…she and our baby died, guess I'll stay a widower if…"

"Don't be so pessimistic Joshua, Ella is a strong girl I have a feeling that she'll pull through."

oooOOOooo

Curry was worried about Heyes. That was normal, but the fact that Heyes hadn't left Sarah's side to scope out the sheriff's office and the saloon really worried him not to mention that neither of them had left their hotel room. _Least this hotel has room service, _Kid thought. They had been in town for a day and, if anything, Sarah's condition had worsened. Out of boredom, Kid took to reading Sarah's copy of "The Complete Short Stories of Edgar Allan Poe"; not that he found any pleasure in doing so, in fact he only skimmed the book. Near the end there was a selection of some of Poe's most famous poems, the one that the Kid actually read was entitled "Annabelle Lee".

"_I was a child and she was a child,_

_In this kingdom by the sea,_

_But we loved with a love that was more than love,_

_I and my Annabelle Lee."_

oooOOOooo

Sarah woke suddenly; she looked at the dark room around her. _Where am I, alright I know I'm in a hotel room, but where; it can't be in Denver, I'm most likely in Sweet Water._ She had not yet noticed that Kid was standing at the foot of her bed.

"Hey, welcome back to the world of the living." Kid said.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked.

"Ya spent the better part of two days on Death's front door step; had Heyes so worried that we don't even know if the law in this town even recognizes us."

"Oh,"

"Heyes, Sarah's taken a turn for the better,"

"Really, that's the best news I've heard in two days, now we can move on to the next town, if you're feelin' up to it Sarah."

"We ain't doin' it now, it's nearly two in the morning."

They all had a laugh and went back to sleep. They had planed to split town in the daylight, with hopes that a better future was just over the next mountain range.


End file.
